Machine for manufacturing dress-shields



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Y HB. SMITH. MACHINE FOR MANUFACTURING DRESS-SHIELDS. N0. 413,974. A Patente-d Oct. 29, 1889.

N. PETERS. Phomlhhagmpher. wzmingnm, n. CA

(No Model.) 4 sheets-sheet 3.

H. B..SM1TH.

MAGHINB POR MANUFACTURING DRESS SHIELDS. No. 413.974'. Patented oct. 29, '1889.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets--Sheet 4.

' H. B. SMITH. MACHINE POB. MANUFACTURING DRESS SHIELDS.

No. 413,974vl Patented ont. 29, 1889..

UNITED STATES YflllaTENT OFFICE. *A

HARRIS B. SMITH, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

MACHINE FORAlVl-ANUFACTURING DRESS-SHIELDS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 413,974, dated October 29, 1889.

i Application iled January 5, 1889.l Serial No. 295,539. (No model.)

.To a/ZZ whom, it 11i/ay concern.-

Beit known that I, HARRIS B. SMITH, a citi zen of the United States, residing at Bridgeport, county of Fairfield, and State of Conf y men from sweat permeations, are made of light textile fabric in which india-rubber is introduced, so thatv the sweat-shields are pliable and at the same time water-proof.

In order to render the shields conformable to the dress-sleeve at its juncture with the dress-body, a peculiar crescent form must be given to the lapped fabric, and then the ar-v ticle must be vulcanized by heat to preserve it in shape and render it permanently Waterproof.

Heretofore the dress-protectors or armpitshields above mentioned have been cut to nearly a proper form, so as to afford the double flap required, then stretched over metal forms that give the armpit curvature to the folded edge of the shield, and nally these.

goods were introduced while upon the forms into a heated muffle to vulcanize the rubber portion of the fabric.

The process for manufacture of vulcanized dress-shields as heretofore conductedis comparatively slow and involves the use of large numbersof forms of varying shapes to afford sizes suited to the demands of the trade; hence it is of importance to furnish improved facilities for the production of such specialties.

The object of my present invention is to provide a simple, compact, and eficient mechanism whereby dress-shields cut to an'V approximate form may be stretched and folded to produce the proper curvature ofthe folded edge, and vulcanized by applied heat while thus stretched, the whole operation being continuous and rapid, affording uniformlyleration of the machine.

- any desired extent.

perfect results as to shape and vulcanization of the goods.

With this obj ect in view my invention consists in cert-ain features of construction and combinations of parts, that will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, which illustrate the details of construction of the machine, Figure l is a front elevation, partly in. section, of the machine. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the machine, the upper portion thereof being removed and the standards shown in section. Fig. 4 is a vertical section of a portion ofthe machine, taken on the line 4 of Fig. 3. Figs. 5, 6,and 7 are views illustrating the opview, and Fig. 9 a side view, of the completed shield. j

Referring to said drawings, it is to be understood that A represents the bed-plate of the machine, 'upon the upper surface of which are arranged two steam-chambers B, which are capable of being adjusted to and from each other, and also of a limited adjustment laterally, for a purpose which will be hereinafter explained. For this purpose the chambers B are provided at their lower edges with outwardly-projecting flanges a, which project beneath flanged guides b, which are bolted firmly to the base plate of the machine. Each of the chambers B is provided with a nut c, in which works a 'threaded rod d,which turns in a bearing f, secured to the base-plate in 'such manner that the rods are not capable of longitudinal movement in their bearings. The rods d are provided at their outer ends with hand-wheels C or other means by which they can be conveniently turned, so as to adjust the chambers to and from each other to The chambers B are supplied with steam by means of pipes m, which enter the bases of the chambers, passing through slots in the base-plate, the slots in the base-plate being of sufficient leugthjto permit the pipes to move as the chambers are adjusted to and from each other, the pipes being so arranged as to spring sufficiently for this purpose. The adjacent faces g of the two steam-chambers form the female member of the die, which operates to give the proper IOO.

form to the shield and to retain the shield in proper shape during the process of vulcanization, as will hereinafter be explained. For this purpose the lateral walls of the chambers slope inward from points near their bases to near the apex h of the chambers, and the apex h of eachchamber is curved to conform approximately to the contour of the folded edge of the completed shield. (1o-operating with the female member of the die thus formed is a male member D, composed of a thin metal plate, which is arranged to enter between the adjacent faces g of the chambers B, and to move vertically between standards E, erected from the base of the machine.

For the purpose of giving vertical movement to the plate D it is provided with a rackbar F, which passes through a suitable bearing in a cross-head G, which connects the two standards, and is engaged by a pinion t', mounted upon a shaft H, having a hand-wheel I or other suitable means by which it can be conveniently rotated.

For the purpose of counterbalancing the weight of the plate D and its rack-bar, the shaft H is provided with a pulley K, around which passes a cord, from which is suspended a weight L, which serves for this purpose, and is adjusted so as to maintain the plate D in any position to which it has been moved.

- The plate D is provided upon its lower edge -with a curved recess le, which is of exactly the proper curvature to give the required shape to the folded edge of the shield.

It is found in the practical operation of the machine that it is preferable that the curvature of the recess k in the male member of the die should be slightly less-that is to say, the recess should be formed upon a slightly-greater radius than the female member of the die, which is formed by the apexes of the two steam-chambers. By reason of this relative curvature of the two members of the die it results, as will hereinafter appear, that as the male member is entered between the female member it acts to commence the folding of the shield at the center, the edges of the shield being the last to be acted upon by the die. From this it results that the folding is effected much more evenly than is the casewhen the two members of the die are of the same curvature, or when the female member is of less curvature than the male member. The walls of the chambers B are made of sufficient thickness to afford stability, and yet are thin enough to be readily heated by steam introduced therein through the pipes m.

The operation of the machine as thus far described is as follows: The chambers B are adjusted to such position with relation to each other and the die-plate D that when the latter is introduced between the adjacent faces g of the chambers there will be just su'icient room between the plate and the chambers for the accommodation of the fabric of which the shield is composed. Apiece of the fabric n, cut to the proper form, or approximately the proper form, for a shield, and composed of outer plies of stockinet or other suitable fabric, with an interposed ply of unvulcanized rubber, as indicated in Fig. 8, is placed upon the chambers B, which constitute the female member of the die, and beneath the male member of the die, as indicated in Fig. 5. The male member of the die is then moved downward by operating the shaft H, and as it is thus moved downward, as indicated by dotted lines, Fig. 1, it will first engage at the central portion of its recess 7c, as indicated by dotted lines, Fig. 1, with the central portion of the material n at the extreme apex of the female member of the die, and thereby commence the folding operation at that point in advance of commencing 'the folding at the edges of the fabric. As the downward movement of the male member continues, however, it will gradually force the fabric between the two walls g of the female member composed of the chambers B, as indicated in Figs. 6 and 7, thereby completing the folding and giving to the shield the form indicated in Fig. 9. WVhen the shield has thus been folded, and before the male member of the die is removed from between the two parts of the female member, the two parts of the die and the fabric held thereby will be allowed to remain in that position for a suitable length of time to allow the heat generated by the steam in the chambers B to properly vulcanize and set the rubber of the shield, so as to retain the shield in proper form. After the shield has thus been vulcanized the male member of the die will be raised, thereby removing the shield from between the steamchambers and the operation will be repeated. As a rule, the vulcanized shield will adhere more firmly to the male member of the die than to the female member, so that upon raising of the male member the shield will be withdrawn with it. By this means the operation of forming and vulcanizing the shield is rendered continuous and comparatively rapid. Vhenever the thickness of the material n is changed, the steam-chambers constituting the female member of the die will be adjusted to or from each other to conform vto the change in thickness of the material. In case the shield, after having been vulcanized as described, should stick to the female member of the die, so as not to be withdrawn with the plate D, it will simply remain between the steam-chambers and be forced downward through the opening o, formed in the baseplate A, when the next shield is introduced.

From the foregoing it will be seen that t0 insure the successful operation of the machine it is important that perfect parallelism should be at all times preserved between the adjacent faces g of the steam-chambers. To

provide for this the openings in the flanged l guides b, through which the bolts p pass, which secure the guides to the base-plate, are

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slightly enlarged to permit of a limited adj ustment of the guides to and from the steamf chambers, and the base-plate is provided with between the flanges u. of the chambers and the flanges ofthe guides in such manner as to prevent any tendency of the chambers to tilt by reason of a loose t between the flanges ct and the anges of the guide, and the chambers are provided at the outer ends of their bases with adjusting-screws y, which bear against the base A, so as to tilt the faces g of the chambers vertically.

In operating upon some kinds of material l it will be' found preferable to provide the steam chambers B at their apexes with raised ribs or anges h, as shown, over which the material will be drawn as it is forced ,be-

tween the faces g by the male member ofthe die.

The curvature of the recess in `the male member of the die may be changed within' certain limits to vary the size and form of the shield without changing the female member of the die. A

By means of the screw-rods d the chambers B can be moved apart sufficiently to permit access to be had to their adjacent faces g for 'cleaning or for other purposes.

l. The combination, with the two steamchambers B, the parallel adjacent faces g of which formthe female member of the die, of

the reciprocating plate D, adapted to enter between said chambers and having its edge recessed to form the male member of the die, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the two steamchambers B, having parallel adjacent faces which form the female member of the die'and having their apexes curved to approximate the curvature of the folded edge of the shield, of the reciprocating plate D, forming 'the male member of the die and'having its edge reversely curved to conform to the curvature of the folded edge of the shield, substantially as described. t f

3. The combination, with the two steamchambers B, having parallel adjacent faces which form the female member of the die, and having their apexes curved to approximate the curvature of the folded edge of the shield, of the reciprocating plate D, forming the male member ,of the die and having its edge reversely curved to conform to the curvature of the folded edge of the shield, but of less curvature than the curvature of the apexes of said chambers, substantially as described.

.4. The combination, with the two steamchambers B, each of which is adjustable to and from the other and having parallel adja-` cent faces which form the female member of the die, of the reciprocating plate D, forming the male member of the die, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with the plate D, having its'edge recessed to form the male member of the die, of the two steam-chambers B, formingthe female` member of the die and each adjustable to and from the other, of the laterally-adjustable guides b, substantiall asdescribed. c 6. The combination, with the plate D, having its edge recessed to form the male member of the die,of the two steam-chambers'B, forming the female member of the die and each adjustable to and from the other, the

laterally-adjustable guides b, and adjustingscrews s, substantially as described.

7 The combination, with the 'two steamchambers B, having parallel adjacent faces which form the female member of the die and having their apexes curved to approximate the curvature of the folded edge of the shield and provided with raised ribs or flanges ]t, of

witnesses.

HARRIS B. SMITH. Witnesses:

J. J. KENNEDY, A. M. Woos'rnn.

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